Reality Maker
by Aqwillabee
Summary: She believed she died but now she is alive. Why things like this happen she is not too sure. Still, she never really cared about what happened or how such an anomaly occurred. She just had one goal. To learn everything in the world.
1. Chapter 1

It hurt. The pain in her chest, one that squeezed her lungs. She couldn't breathe. What had happened? She had been walking down the street, near a construction site.

She wasn't paying attention, happily humming a soundless tune as she munched on a greasy burger.

Honestly, she had always been absentminded, it was one of her charming qualities she liked to think. But at that moment, when a loud snap broke the droning of city life, she really should have payed attention.

The shouts, the startled screams, it wasn't until the loud sound of a metal hitting solid concrete, did she look up.

Seeing that one beam landed to her right, the girl had tried to jump out of the way as a second beam came hurtling straight towards her.

She wasn't fast enough.

With a sickening crack, the second beam slammed right into her chest. She could feel her insides cave as she was slammed to the ground, the blood roaring in her ears and stars dancing in her vision as her head hit the jagged concrete.

She couldn't feel, couldn't move, couldn't _breathe_.

_I'm dying._

That was the last thing she could comprehend before her vision blurred and in a swirl of brilliant colours.

The only thing she could think of at that moment, bleeding and broken on the ground.

_Beautiful…_

.

.

.

**Days alive, 1**

Everything had faded to black and she felt weightless. It felt very nice to know that she was free from the unbearable pain. But before she could relish in the feeling of weightlessness, she suddenly felt very heavy.

Heat and smoke greeted her senses as she tried to move.

Had something caught fire at the construction site? Was she still alive? Why was she so dirty?

And most importantly, what happened to her burger?

The girl felt a pang in her heart at the thought of the wasted food. She was fifteen, but incredibly strange. With skewed priorities and humor, many couldn't keep up with her.

She tried to shuffle but was met with resistance. From what she could feel she was pressed down by a rough but flat surface.

How curious. Was she not held down by a solid metal beam? Why the sudden change in circumstance?

Before the girl could ponder more on her changed situation the sound of distant shouts filled her ears.

"There's a body over here!"

A shuffle of the rubble above her informed the girl that she was the one spotted.

Body? Did that mean there were more around? Had more been hit with beams?

She'd never seen a dead body, only on TV dramas, mostly murder mysteries. The girl had always had a fascination with how the body worked and always been interested in Pathology, she was by no means squeamish.

Warm hands tugged at her arms. They tried to pull her out of her primitive cage, but her leg was hooked under a piece of wire.

Feeling an uncomfortable twinge as her body was stretched out. She groaned lightly.

Not hearing the sound, whoever tried to pull her out, began to use as much force as they could.

Her whole body shuddered, bones groaning in protest. Suddenly her leg loosened from its entrapment, causing the girl's body to slot together painfully.

Her muscles twitched, not able to take the pain, the girl opened her eyes wide.

Staring into electric blue orbs.

She screamed.

Just like that, everything slotted into place. Broken from a distant haze, the girl suddenly felt the full weight of her injuries.

And promptly blacked out.

**Days alive, 3**

The cool weight of a cloth was all she felt for a moment. Aroused from her sleep, the girl quickly awakened.

Slipping an eye open lazily, she expected to be in the stark white hospital room, but instead of the suffocating scent of antiseptic, the room she was placed in had a musky, earthy texture to it.

Blinking in confusion she tried to scrounge around her memories. The images of a sunny day, the taste of grease on her tongue, a scream, a crack and eventually a swirl of colours. These images greeted the back of her eyelids as she closed them, a spell of dizziness overcoming her as she tried to sit up.

"Oh, your awake!" a cheerful voice called. A soft thump alerted the girl. Looking slowly to the side she witnessed, through a choppy brown bang, a soft looking woman place a wash basin on a stool beside her small bed.

"I was afraid that your injuries would be to fatal." Delicate fingers pulled the damp cloth from the girl's forehead.

Dark curls framing a soft face, the woman smiled. "But I'm glad you made it! Nothing short of a miracle that is!"

The brunette ignored the woman as she prattled on about things, absentmindedly fiddling with the loose sleeves of her shirt. Her hands were pale, paler than ash. Veins visible through every crevice of her palm.

Lifting the appendage up slightly, she studied the blue-green rivers that stood out on her skin. Trailing a finger across them, the girl smiled as she pressed against her pulse lightly.

The steady thump of her heart soothed her mind. Not matter where she may be, she was breathing.

I'm alive.

Her shirt sleeve slipped down to her elbow, exposing the milky flesh of her underarm.

Dark lines, jagged but even, traced her delicate flesh, just above the tendon of her elbow.

It was Kanji. A word—no name.

Maruchi.

**Days alive, 6**

Maruchi had ended up in a different world. She had no idea how, or why, but she was here.

Never one to linger too long on tragic or massive events. The dark-haired girl simply decided to move on with her life.

She was part of a caravan, one that moved around Konoha at its borders.

Maruchi had realized with a start that she was in a fictional world called Naruto. The thought made her headache, but to be honest the girl had no idea what happened in the Manga.

That thought didn't scare her, in fact it meant that she could learn new things, things that she didn't know before.

The brunette always wanted to learn as much as she could, often being thought prodigious for her forward thinking. Eyes looking forward, never stopping to smell the roses. Barely anything grounded her to the present, that's why she was so absentminded all the time, thought as air headed often.

That is until she pulls out a thick textbook full of things that students her grade couldn't possibly comprehend.

The woman that was there when she woke up, was currently leading her around, telling and showing the bright coloured tents and carts.

Her name was Hani. Fitting because the woman was just as sweet and, more often than not, was a social bee.

The dark-haired woman pointed to an impressive looking tent. Its silky layers were vibrant with colours of green, blue and orange, dashes of purple appearing here or there.

"That's the main tent." Hani stated, eyeing the people that came in and out. "It's where many come and gather, like a socializing place!"

Maruchi nodded mutely, her golden eyes taking in her surroundings, calculating where things were and slowly but surely building a map in her head.

"You're very quiet for an eight-year-old." Hani's voice cut through the fog on Maruchi's mind.

Blinking the girl looked up, Hani's previous sentence finally clicking into her mind. That's right, she ended up shrinking into a young eight-year-old body. Gone was her developing figure, not that she minded, but it was slightly disorienting being, mentally, a fifteen-year-old stuck in a child's body.

Though, Maruchi supposed, she didn't really care.

"Sorry, I was just thinking…" She muttered, not really feeling sorry at all, but many had become upset at her lack of response before; Maruchi had learned quickly what the right and wrong responses to situations like this were.

Hani simply smiled. "It's no problem! I appreciate the silence. Just gives me more reason to talk!"

The brunette's lips quirked slightly.

After that conversation Maruchi tried her best to pay attention to the kind woman. Eventually Hani showed the young girl her resting place. For now, because of her injuries, she would be staying in the medical tent.

Tucking her into bed, a thing the brunette had never experienced, Hani wished her a goodnight and left.

Left alone in the darkness, Maruchi stared up at the white folds of the roof. The blankets itched at her skin, but she stayed still in her position.

Warmth trailed down her cheeks. Blinking, her golden eyes remained dilated as she brushed delicate fingers against the wet trails.

Why am I crying?

Such a foreign thing to the brunette. She didn't know how she felt, but that wasn't new.

Distant images of towering buildings and hollow smiles bounced around in the recess of her mind.

Eventually her silent sobs stilled, and she was left with ragged breathing.

Curling into the sheets, Maruchi closed her heavy eyes.

I will learn everything I can in this world. She vowed.

I'll create my own reality.


	2. Chapter 2

**Days alive, 21**

It was early morning. The crisp cool air stung her lungs, but Maruchi didn't really care. She was waiting by a large fire pit, where Hani had dropped her off.

It had been three weeks, three weeks since she woke up here, in this strange but interesting world.

Hani had become an official caretaker of sorts of Maruchi, Hani and her Husband, Sanshin (Who had actually been the man to find her), and the girl found herself appreciating the woman all the more.

Said female had dropped her off, in the early hours of the morning, to experience her first day of class. Instantly, as the girl stared into the smoldering wood, she knew this would not be her average bookwork-oriented lesson.

The subtle crunch of leaves behind her had Maruchi's ears perking, still the girl did not turn to look.

A foolish action many may consider, but the brunette had a burning stick in her hand, one she was currently using to stoke the fire.

The figure that approached from behind, sat down quietly on the log. There was a good three feet between the two.

Ignoring the newcomer, Maruchi continued stoking the fire, letting the warmth soak into her loose shirt and pants, her open toed sandals not helping to conserve heat in her feet.

"Umm…" a meek voice coughed.

Sliding her eye over lazily, her golden pupils slit, the natural orange eyeliner around them, made them pop in an unnerving way.

Maruchi was met with the sight of a frazzled red head. She had thick rimmed glasses and red eyes, making her look like a walking tomato.

Blushing, the red head looked to be no older than thirteen yet held such an innocent and flustered expression.

"Uh, H-hi…" she mumbled, fiddling with the long sleeves of her shirt. "I'm Karashi Uzumaki…"

Maruchi didn't turn towards the girl, instead only looked back to the fire as if she hadn't heard her.

The bright haired girl slumped, tears brimming under the rims of her glasses.

Silence trailed after that awkward interaction.

"…Hi, 'm Maruchi…" The reply was barely a whisper, but Karashi heard it anyway.

Head snapping up the red head beamed brightly. "It's nice to meet you!" She responded instantly.

Maruchi glanced a single gold eye at Karashi again, before a small smile made it onto her face. "Likewise."

The two acquaintances trailed into silence. Before they knew it, they were sitting beside each other as more children, all ages ranging from five to fifteen, filled in the empty logs.

Chatter filled the quiet of the morning before a cough brought everyone's attention towards an old man. He had hunched shoulders and a stern brow, but his dark eyes held a certain warmth to them.

Maruchi knew he would be a great teacher.

"Ahem," The elder called for all the children's attention, those older quieted down while the younger ones continued to giggle.

Seeing her new sensei's brow tick in irritation, the golden eyed child knew she had to do something.

Maruchi chucked the stick she was holding into the fire. Slamming into the other pieces of burning wood the flames crackled. The noise was loud, and the sparks drew the remaining children into silence.

The elder stared down at the young girl, who looked as if she had nothing to do with what had transpired.

Brushing off his concerns he spoke. "Welcome to another day of class, my name is Elder Haku. I see many new faces here but honestly I don't care whether you introduce yourselves or not."

Maruchi quirked a brow. Interesting method to get kids out of their comfort zone, forcing others to interact through pure need to be included.

"Now we begin todays lesson with a story."

Older students thrummed with excitement, while younger ones looked on with curiosity.

Maruchi didn't feel like being left in the dark. Turning to her left she gave Karashi a questioning look. The older female simply blushed, "I'm not allowed to tell new students." she muttered apologetically under her breath, hoping that her new friend wouldn't be offended.

The brunette considered her companions reason, before nodding slightly and turning back towards Elder Haku. Karashi couldn't help but sigh in relief at the young girl's reaction before following her lead and paying attention.

Elder Haku placed his hands together in hand sign.

Maruchi waited. When nothing happened, she frowned, that is until the fire started swirling. Snapping her head towards the light she saw the flames, once dancing without rhyme, suddenly start twirling.

Was that a ninjutsu?

No, she felt like it was something else. The fire expanded and morphed into a slumbering beast.

"In the lands, far to the east, there once lived a dragon."

The story drifted into white noise. While she retained the information, it was all but a blur in her ears as Maruchi stared into the fire. It was mesmerizing, how the flames danced, yet held that shape Elder Haku wanted.

Unnoticed by all, the girl reached out a small pale hand. She leaned forward until her fingers brushed the flames.

She could feel warmth but no searing pain that came with fire. Pushing her hand down she felt the heat increase, almost burning.

Genjutsu. Her mind supplied. Though she was unfamiliar with the Naruto Universe she had briefly read what abilities were in the world, just a bit of distracting knowledge in the middle of studying, so that she could remember better for tests.

"Fascinating…" she mumbled as she pulled her hand back. If her theory was right, then if she pushed her hand down any further, she would have burnt herself. That's what Genjutsu was right? A simple illusion? No that didn't make any sense. She felt heat from the illusioned flames, that means they had to be real, right?

Left with unsolved mysteries, Maruchi listened into the rest of the lesson. It was intriguing. Elder Haku taught things about survival, the war that was going on outside their caravan and the importance of Chakra.

The last topic, Maruchi absorbed as much as she could, it was fascinating, incredibly so. The thought of foreign energies residing in her body made the scientist enthusiast of her practically drool.

The question was, could she even use Chakra?

She was brought into this world by unconventional means, though she did look different (She used to have brown eyes and lightly tanned skin, but now she was ashen, and her eyes were gold) she felt the same, mostly. There was an awkward thrum and tingle that occasionally pricked underneath her skin. Like snakes or lizards crawling through her veins.

The thought clicked into her head as she walked back with Hani to her home.

"Hani-san?" Maruchi called for the soft looking woman's attention. The dark-haired woman hummed, to symbolize she had heard. "What does chakra feel like?"

There was a stutter in her step, like she wasn't expecting the question. Slowing to a stop, Hani pursed her lips in thought.

"I'm not too sure… Its kind 'a like a smooth rolling sensation for me. Right under the skin, in your veins." Shrugging she smiled kindly down at the small girl. "But it's a different sensation for everyone."

Blinking disturbing golden eyes, Maruchi nodded. So, what she was feeling was chakra, at least her own unique signature. Either that or she was contracting a diesis of some sort.

Pushing her way into the brown grey tent, that was serving as her current home, Maruchi couldn't help but hope it was the former.

She did _not _feel like dying again anytime soon.

**Days alive, 35**

"You want to learn Genjutsu?" Elder Haku asked, a curious lit to his eyes.

Maruchi nodded her head in confirmation.

Grinning Elder Haku's face crinkled in a mischievous way. "Ok, you're on kid."

The brunette felt herself smile, the slithering serpents in her veins writhing with suppressed joy.

Maruchi would enjoy this.

She would enjoy this very much.

**Days alive, 63**

It was dark when the Hani woke her up. Shaking her shoulders, the woman whispered harshly as she shoved a cloak onto her small frame.

Blinking her eyes blearily, Maruchi gazed around in confusion as she was picked up by Hani and shoved into the grip of the woman's husband, Sanshin. He was a tall man with dirty blonde hair and electric blue eyes.

Settled onto his hip, the brunette looked around in confusion as the couple began packing up their tent, before it was shoveled into a role and onto a cart.

Their stead, Apple, was a tall bulky horse with a chestnut coat and white nose. Beautiful creature really.

As she was seated onto the front of the cart, sandwiched between Hani and Sanshin, Maruchi got the first clue as to why they were moving.

A large explosion roared to the right. It exploded upwards in a beautiful display of power.

Maruchi was left in awe as she stared up, but the feeling of childlike wonder was quickly replaced with weariness as many people of her caravan began casting concealment Genjutsu's.

This was not a story. A simple depiction of a fairy tale told by a campfire.

Konoha was at war, and they were in the middle of it.

Still, as the cart started to move forward shakily, Maruchi was left to stare as the shadows swirled around her. Briefly catching glimpses of the shinobi that used the trees as cover.

She wanted to be part of their world, but, glancing up at the two people she saw as more a mother and father than her original parents, she could not leave them.

It was decided, they were her tethers, she would be content in this world, learning all that she can.

With one last (longing) look towards the receding flames, Maruchi firmed her resolve.

Turning around she snuggled into Hani's side, eyes closing as she lost conscience.

The two concerned glances shared by the adults went unnoticed by the brunette, as Sanshin draped a blanket over them.

They rode off into the trees. Away from the war.

**Days alive, 210**

"H-How?" Karashi asked, thoroughly winded and not to mention bruised.

While the red head slaved away for five _hours_ to walk up the tree, Maruchi, a girl, five years younger than her, having mastered the tree walking in _thirty_ minutes, was sitting in the middle of a turbulent river.

Not even breaking a sweat.

How?

Smiling in that serene way of hers Maruchi simply shrugged her shoulders, trying to mold her chakra and manipulate the currents into a different element, having already mastered water control, she was succeeding at it with spectacular speed.

Grumbling under her breath, Karashi slouched against the tree. "Flipping prodigies…" she muttered, pulling at the grass, none too gently.

Blinking owlishly from out in the middle of the river, Maruchi sent a confused look towards her friend, not hearing what she said.

Shrugging she simply focused on her chakra control.

Her chakra felt like slithering serpents, but more that often felt like the four-legged crawl of lizards.

Pulling on this feeling, she felt it seep out of her pours, though it tickled because of the claws she felt digging into her skin, she didn't mind honestly, it felt nice.

To be honest the reason she was probably having such a simple time was, one; she could sense the foreign chakra in her system with ease and two; Karashi, being the sensor she is, informed the brunette that she had incredibly potent chakra, that made the reaction she garnered from the elements even more volatile.

Focusing even harder on the crawling on her skin, she released it into the area, letting it sit on top of the river, slowly soaking into its currents and downwards to the sandy bottom.

Picking a small section from the currents, she thought of fire, the heat and hurt it could produce. The air around her simmered from the rising temperatures.

Slipping into the Tori hand sign the girl focused on the current that ran under her.

The water boiled and before she knew it the river, was set on _fire_. Of course, at Karashi's shout of surprise, Maruchi lost concentration, and slipped under the water.

Opening her eyes, the pale skinned girl was met with a wonderous sight.

Fire, alive, hot, breathing fire was swirling down under her. Spiraling downstream until it went out of her chakra field and quickly fizzled out.

So, her chakra was the only thing allowing the fire to breath under water? Interesting, it made her wonder if her affinity was air or was it just the spiritual energy of Chakra that fueled the flames? She was inclined to believe so, considering the water she manipulated before didn't freeze into ice.

Would this technique work against a water user? Or were the elements completely shrewd? Maruchi had heard somewhere that lightning was super effective against earth, when physics clearly stated that lightning would not be able to do squat against _actual _earth.

Maruchi believed it was about perspective when it came to chakra. For all she knew lightning was not going to do anything to earth chakra, or was it going to be affective only if it was earth molded from chakra and not manipulated by it?

The current of flame slowly fizzled out and Maruchi was left with many theories that she would have to test out.

Realizing the need to breath, the brunette reluctantly pulled her gaze away from the dying fire, and swam to the surface, were she was met with a frazzled Uzumaki.

"Oh my gosh! Are you ok Maru-chan?" She asked, tears of panic brimming under her glasses as she pulled her waterlogged friend into the clearing.

Taking in deep breaths, the girl simply smiled at her worried friend. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine." She assured as she squeezed water out of her growing hair.

Maruchi had learned that her hair was a wavy brown, not unlike her hair from _Before_.

"There you go again! All absent minded an' such!" Karashi ranted as she shook her young friends' shoulders. "I bet you were thinking under there, huh! Weren't you?"

Snapping out of her thoughts Maruchi simply smiled, it was the only way she could express her amusement.

"I'm ok, really Kara. I just have a few theories that I must try out."

Rolling her red eyes, Karashi sighed. This is what she gets from befriending an absentminded prodigy.

"Whatever I'm about done with this exercise anyway." Standing up, the red-haired girl brushed herself off. "C'mon, you better grab a change of clothes from Hani-san. Then we'll go out to the market and grab some lunch."

With the help of her friend, as soaked yukatas were _heavy_, Maruchi stood up and nodded in confirmation.

"There's no need for me to go to Okaasan." The brunette mumbled. Calling upon her chakra she summoned the heat she was using before. Steam rose up from her small frame and her clothes dried in a matter of seconds.

Maruchi didn't know when she started calling Sanshin and Hani, Otousan and Okaasan, it just felt comfortable for the young girl.

A girl who was whispered to be an actual prodigy. A prodigy, living among gypsies? A child of eight who mastered all that Elder Haku had about Genjutsu in four months? Preposterous.

Didn't make Maruchi any less real.

Making sure her cloths weren't singed, Maruchi clasped hands with the older female. "Ok I'm ready, let's go." She stated simply, as if she didn't just use her chakra so precisely.

"DON'T ACT ALL CASUAL AFTER DOING THAT!" the shrill reply of Karashi echoed through the forest.

Maruchi did nothing but smile.

Much to the red heads displeasure.

_Still_, Karashi thought as she pulled her friend through the markets, trying different foods. _I'm glad she's my friend_.

Maruchi was too.

She was very much so.


	3. Chapter 3

**Years alive, 3**

"I can't make you stay?" the soft voice of Karashi called out.

It was dawn, the warm sun barely slipping past the mountains.

Maruchi had stayed behind to clean up from the ambush but… Gripping the identity papers of her father, the only thing that showed he _actually_ existed in this war driven world, Karashi knew she couldn't stop her even if she tried.

"I see…" The red head trailed off, staring down at the ground. A look a grief passed over her face as she remembered the people, she once called her aunty and uncle. A sense of uselessness washing over her. She was older that Maruchi and yet the girl, barely eleven, was venturing out.

Golden eyes slid over to Karashi; it was unnerving how empty yet full they looked. Smiling, something that actually reached her eyes, the red head was left in awe, how one could smile after everything, it was admirable. Or she was just being absent minded again, she wouldn't be surprised if she was.

"It has nothing to do with escaping memories," The brunette stated, her loose sleeved kimono fluttering in the cool wind, the black tights and sandals she wore peeking from underneath the fabric. "You see Kara, I want to learn everything I can."

Red eyes snapped up, shock stilling in their deep pools. Maruchi continued, unperturbed by her friends piercing gaze. "I made a vow to be content with my life here when I realized Okaasan and Otousan tethered me, but… I don't think I could have kept that vow."

"I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I already learned all that I can here and decided before their passing that I would be leaving, in fact—" Holding up a dainty hand, Maruchi showed her friend the identification papers, "Otousan gave me these, giving his blessing to me."

Her gaze lowered. "Making my departure not just out of my own selfish ambition but, as my families last will." Looking back up, Golden eyes burned with an unyielding passion. "So, I'm going to learn as much as I can. In the name of my family!"

Karashi could say, indefinitely, that this was the first time she had seen her friend so present. So _here_, in the moment. Karashi saw the first glimpse of her friends' heart, and she knew, just _knew_, it would take her far.

She could only imagine how any man, trying to pursue a relationship with her, would have to be just as passionate to keep up with the brunette.

The older girl snorted at her random trail of thoughts.

Nodding her head resolutely, the teen smiled. "Ok you've convinced me." She stated before beaming at her friend—no sister. "Go out there with your _whole_ families blessing!"

Blinking, it took her a second to process the words.

Maruchi grinned softly. "Thank you…" she breathed, a lone tear slipping down her cheek.

"No," Karashi countered in the warming air. "Thank _you._"

The first ray of sunlight spilled through the trees.

And Maruchi was gone.

**Years alive, 3; Days in the wild, 4**

Maruchi had spent her time in the wilds before. If there was anything Elder Haku had taught her, it was how to survive without her chakra, something that was made easier with it.

Still the female found it quite tedious. Especially when she jumped from one island to another, she didn't know where she was, she was lost.

Oh, well such is life.

It took days for her to run across any sign of life. Said signs just had to be a battlefield. One that was currently in use.

The girl sighed as she stared at the ensuing chaos. She had an old kunai pouch on her, one that belonged to her father, other than that she had nothing but provisions, still, that didn't mean she was going to back down from a fight. Especially when the fight was against Kirigakure.

She_ really_ didn't like Kirigakure.

Noting who her enemy was and who wasn't Maruchi decided she would be the backup, that looked to be sorely needed.

Stilling her breath and reading herself, the brunette released a subtle amount of her potent chakra, knowing only a small breath of it would allow her to use the technique to the best of its capabilities.

Deciding it was better to move around to get her chakra everywhere the girl placed a wooden mask over her face, it was a serpent. She wanted the lizard but Karashi could only win the snake mask. She really didn't mind.

Bracing herself she spotted her best point of entry. Helping a green clad boy as he fought his opponents with only his fists. His side was open, and an enemy was quickly approaching.

Before anyone could really sense her, the female had appeared before the Kirinin. Shocking him for a second as she stabbed a kunai right under his throat, killing him instantly.

Her feet hit the ground silently, but somehow, she was noticed by the green clad boy. "Thanks!" he beamed as he broke the nose of a chunin, not even sparing them a glance as they fell like a sack of potatoes.

_Vicious_.

Maruchi liked that.

Nodding her head, she turned back towards the fight, trying to see who else could need assistance. There was a guy with bright blonde hair who was zipping around the field, though he was primarily focused on the high-level ninja.

He didn't look to need help, but a young boy with silver hair did. Nothing too big, he just looked slightly overwhelmed. Surrounded by ninja on all sides.

Twisting and ducking around two chunin the girl slit both their throats quickly. No jutsu use. If she did that then her chakra signature would be noticed in the systems of most ninja and her technique would be ruined.

Throwing a kunai at the shinobi in front of the green boy, he punched them in their moment of confusion, sending them flying.

Concealed eyes blinked. How strong was this boy? Apparently strong enough not to need her help.

Pointing a thumb towards the silver haired boy, she called out. "I'm going to go over and help him, you'll be ok on your own?" she asked, not overly concerned by leaving him by himself.

Distractedly the boy dodged a kunai before replying. "Yes! I am fine! The youthful energy in me will not perish today!"

Maruchi smiled under mask. He was amusing.

Turning around she jumped across the field, twisting and dodging all the way. Any ninja that paid attention to her would have thought of her as a lizard, scuttling across the ground. The comparison would have made them smirk slightly.

Approaching the silver haired boy, she counted how many ninja there were. Six—no five, two already laid dead on the ground. He could probably take out three more before exhaustion, whether it be physical or chakra induced, took over and he fainted.

Gripping her bloody kunai in both hands the girl quickly made a move. Jumping onto the backs of one of the Kirinin, she barely registered their shout of alarm, as she stabbed them in the temple.

She managed to get the drop on another one before she had to dodge an incoming Ninjutsu. It was water based, not like she cared at the moment as she threw a kunai at them. They jumped out of the way, and right into silver boys lightning enhanced kunai.

The boy ruthlessly sliced open the nin from navel up, letting his insides out.

Honestly Maruchi found the sight fascinating, the other two nin apparently didn't as they soon fled.

Panting the boy put his arm down, bloody from shoving it into someone, but otherwise uninjured.

Turning towards Maruchi he stared into two unnerving gold eyes. The only thing visible under the mask.

"…Thanks…" he muttered unsurely. Finding a small respite from the battle, the boy slumped to the ground, deciding somewhere in his conscience that Maruchi wasn't here to hurt him.

Nodding her head, the brunette walked before she was squatted before him.

Taking out a water canister she offered it to him.

His silver gaze eyed it suspiciously, but he was too parched to _really_ care at the moment. Still he refused. Shrugging her shoulders, the girl pulled her mask down. Revealing her sweaty, dirty skin.

The boy stared at the face before him. It was pale and youthful, with sharp golden eyes surrounded by an orange eyeliner that curved down beside the bridge of their nose. Why they were wearing makeup in the middle of a fight was beyond him. Though the way they looked was oddly familiar.

Taking a long swig of her canister, Maruchi showed that it was perfectly safe to drink.

Handing it to the boy again she watched as he took it eagerly, gulping the cool liquid down his throat.

When he was finished, he handed it back before standing up. Getting ready to run back into the fight he turned towards the stranger. "Kakashi." He stated.

Smiling in a serene way, the brunette pulled the mask back other their face. "Maruchi."

Nodding the male was about to jump off but was halted by the arm of his acquaintance. He stared at Maruchi sharply, eyes accusing her of blasphemy.

Shaking her head, the girl spoke. "There's no need, the battle will be over soon." She stated ominously.

Kakashi blinked, eyeing her strangely he was about to shove her off but suddenly a green blur appeared before them.

"My eternal rival! I am glad to see you ok!" The vibrant voice of his frie—err _acquaintance_ interrupted his action.

Turning his attention from his rival, the boy spotted a serpent mask and dark brown hair. "Ah! It's good to see you again! I'm glad you're ok!"

Blinking, Maruchi seemed to do that a lot around this boy, the brunette wondered whether or not he spoke with exclamations all the time.

"Yes I am." She replied, voice soft as she smiled (She did that a lot around him too) towards the black-haired boy. "Maruchi." She pointed to herself.

Beaming, the girl swore she saw a sunset behind him, he gave a thumbs up, sparkles surrounding him. "I'm Gai! Gai Maito!" he stated passionately, striking the 'nice guy' pose.

Maruchi couldn't help herself, she giggled. He was silly, even in the blood and gore.

Her chakra flared around her, and the brunette realized it was telling her the fact that she was in the system of every ninja on the battlefield.

Smile slipping off her face she addressed the two males who sensed the disperse of potent chakra. "If you'll excuse me." She muttered, before walking calmly towards a small, gory hill.

"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked, slightly disturbed by that fact he _felt_ that chakra in his system.

"Yes! I would like to know too!" Gai's exuberant voice called after Maruchi.

The girl didn't reply and before the two could go after her they became surrounded by Kirinin, they were quickly distracted.

Walking to the top of the hill, Maruchi stared out into the bloody field. She needed to be able to see the whole area for her jutsu to take full effect, it wouldn't work if there were holes in it from lack of depth perception.

Breathing in deeply a girl focused on her chakra. It was everywhere. Like small lizards crawling across the ground she could feel it. It was inside every Ninja in the area, beating inside their hearts, swirling and mixing with their spiritual energy. Wanting to blend them together.

But her chakra was loyal. Kind of ironic considering her chakra felt like serpents and lizards, reptiles that couldn't physically be loyal, and were often associated with deception and disloyalty.

Grabbing ahold of the chakra in their systems was not hard, she just had to be careful to choose which chakra she should pull and which not too.

Karashi had told her that Konoha ninja and civilians had a sort of chakra scent and had been so gracious as to teach her what those scents were and how to differentiate between them.

It made choosing the Kirigakure ninja, whose scent was wet and coppery, very easy compared to Konohagakure's ninja, who had the scent of cedar and campfire smoke.

Tugging on her chakra in the Kirinin, Maruchi braced herself, calculating the chakra she would require for such a large group, that was decreasing by the minute, but not quickly enough.

She had enough, she would be weak, very weak, afterwards but not enough to collapse.

Placing her hands into the Tori, bird, symbol the girl muttered the Genjutsu under her breath.

"**Illusion of a thousand breaths: Reality.**" The ground didn't rumble, but everyone felt the thrum of chakra in their systems.

Suddenly every Kirinin stopped, whether it be fighting, bleeding or resting, everyone froze.

There was a minute of silence before they all screamed out in confusion and horror.

Many began running around hysterically. Crying out in pain as they patted themselves, trying to put out imaginary flames or screaming in agony as they laid on the ground, as if they were being mauled by unseen creatures. Some who sensed something wrong, began to scream "Kai!" over and over again, but Maruchi's chakra was latched onto them, wrapping around their minds with thousands of prickling claws. They could not escape, no matter how many times they begged to be released.

The ones who realized something was wrong, killed themselves.

One by one, they began falling like flies, until every, _every_, Kirinin was left dead on the ground.

None of them with a single wound.

The Konohanin stared at the dead enemy with a morbid fascination and horror as they felt a foreign chakra retreat from their systems and back to one point.

How they couldn't sense such a potent energy on the field was beyond them.

Looking up at a small, gory hill, they all stared at the figure standing atop it.

Small and frail looking but with a serpent mask in place, they knew, instantly that it was them who caused this massacre.

But none stared up in quiet awe as much as Gai and Kakashi did.

_So that's what they meant…_ the silver haired boy thought with a kind of respect, the Kirinin around them dead, not a single wound visible on them.

For Gai it was different. He just stared, a look of absolute shock and reverence on his expression. "W-who?" he muttered, to do such a large scale of a jutsu and still be standing. Such strength! And youth! And… and…

The boy felt his cheeks flush, whether from his own incompetence or other factors, the boy swore to himself.

_I promise you Maruchi-sama!_ Clenching his fist, he stared up at the masked person with passionate eyes. _I will become strong enough to fight by your side one day!_

Breathing heavily, Maruchi stared at the hundreds of dead shinobi as the sun began to set, casting the world in its orange glow.

Setting her face into grim determination, the girl never felt more connected to the present.

Little did anyone know that they were witnessing the first battle of a new legend.

**The Maker of Realities.**

**Maruchi**

**.**

**.**

**.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Years alive, 3; days in the wild 5**

She didn't know how she managed it, but she was now a part of the ninja squad she saved. Not officially of course, she as just there as a means of back up and such.

She talked with the blonde-haired man, that had blue eyes as bright as the sky (They reminded her of Sanshin), even then he had looked wearily at her, but still, he smiled kindly.

He was nice and his name was Minato.

Many looked at her with distrust as she sat at the fire, bowl of stew finished at her side.

Ninja's were paranoid.

_Well,_ Maruchi thought with slight amusement as she glanced at the green wearing boy, that sat beside her by the fire. _Most ninjas_.

Gai, that was the males name, was prattling on about many things. Filling in the silence between the two.

Kakashi, the silver haired boy, was sitting off to the side, tucked under the shade of a tree. It was late at night and he blended into the shadows, the only thing notable about him being his outline.

Maruchi just stared into the fire, but Gai felt like he had their full attention, it was nice, not like his eternal rival, who would just brood in silence.

Coughing, the boy brought two dilated eyes towards himself. Gai couldn't see their face under the mask but he was unnerved by the way their golden eyes glowed in the dim light.

A small blush made its way onto his cheeks before he brushed off Maruchi's piercing stare and asked the question that was lingering on the tip of his tongue.

"What Ninjutsu did you use?" he asked, a burning curiosity lighting his black eyes.

Blinking, Maruchi was brought to the present, eyes slitting with her reality check.

"I didn't use a Ninjutsu." She stated simply, lips quirking at Gai's indignant splutters.

"If you didn't use a Ninjutsu," The stoic voice of Kakashi broke through the squawking's of Gai. In a swirl of leaves, he appeared on the opposite side of the campfire. "What did you use?" he asked, leaning on his knees, hands clasped together, sort of leisurely.

A tinkling laugh echoed under the hollow wooden covering. Reaching up a pale, delicate hand. Maruchi removed her mask.

Gai swore his heart stopped.

He hadn't seen Maruchi's face before. It was shocking how pale their skin was, the blue veins in their cheeks visible. Their dark brown hair stood out on their ashen complexion, making them look like a procyclin doll.

The orange eyeliner they wore around their eyes made them pop in an unnatural way, like that of a lizards or serpents.

He had never seen something so beautiful yet disturbing in his whole life.

Maruchi didn't notice the green boy's reaction as she placed her mask on her lap.

Giving them a closed eyed smile, she barely heard Gai breathe out in relief, not knowing he did that because her eyes were now closed, and he would not have to look at them.

"It was a special Genjutsu. One that I developed." She informed them as she slipped the wooden mask into her sleeve.

"It took me two years to master." The brunette finished as she stared back into the fire, looking to be a million miles away.

The group trailed off into silence. The girl would've been content with that, but Gai had other ideas.

Snapping his fingers, the boy boomed, in a voice that should not be used by an eight-year-old. "You're a Genjutsu Specialist!" he proclaimed, bringing the attention of half the camp.

Blinking, Maruchi slid her gaze to the exuberant male. "Yes." She simply replied. "Is there a problem with that?"

Realizing how his statement could be taken offensively the black-haired boy quickly backtracked. "I don't mean it in a bad way!" he amended, before looking away, slightly abashed. "It's just…" he muttered. "I heard that Genjutsu specialist are great at telling stories." Eyes gleaming Gai looked up again, a youthful fire burning in his eyes. "In fact, I, Gai Maito, had the privilege of listening to a story from a talented ninja myself!"

Turning a reverent gaze towards the brunette, she swore he had stars in his eyes. "It was the most magical thing I've ever witnessed!" he whispered; awe struck.

Maruchi didn't say anything for a moment before her mind trailed back to the stories Elder Haku told her.

"Yeah," she murmured, a soft look crossing her face. "I guess we are good story tellers."

Gai blinked at Maruchi's expression, stilled into silence at their face.

Maruchi snapped back to attention when a thought crossed her mind. Grinning gently, she dispersed some of her potent chakra into the air.

Kakashi tensed as the air he breathed in subtly crawled down into his spiritual energy. He was all but ready to pounce onto the brunette with a kunai, that is until they spoke.

"Why don't I tell you a story?"

Kakashi gaped under his mask. _What? A story? In the middle of war?_

This person- you know he was getting sick of not knowing their gender. Taking in a subtle breath, he scented Maruchi, and discovered that _she_ was a female.

Ok now that, that was done.

This girl had a few screws loose, that was for certain. But _unsurprisingly_ Gai went with it.

"Yosh! That would be most youthful Maruchi-sama!" he cried, pumping a fist into the air.

The girl did nothing but smile. Placing her fingers into the tori symbol, she manipulated the thick folds of her chakra and wrapped them around the eyes and nerves of her two acquaintances.

"A long time ago," she murmured, a nostalgic lit taking over her eyes. "Far away, in the lands towards the east."

The fire stilled, before twisting and twirling into the shape of a slumbering beast.

Gai stared at it with awe, while Kakashi had to grudgingly admit that it was impressive to have such fine control over one's chakra.

"There lived a slumbering dragon…"

**Days alive, 37**

She didn't like this she didn't like this at all.

As she broke her back pulling along a large log, she reflected on all that went wrong.

Maruchi wasn't a dramatic person, in fact she was the opposite, taking things at face value and not blowing them out of proportion. But right now, she questioned her sanity. Why, oh Kami _why? _Had she asked Haku, a man rumored to be an old ninja sadist, to teach her.

Maruchi was an idiot.

Still, the girl was never one to complain and training like this gave her a sense of reality she hadn't experienced before.

Pain made her focus; exhaustion sharpened her senses and adrenalin kept her heart beating.

I'm alive.

That was something the brunette she needed to remind herself of often. Her detached mind made it easy for her to adjust to new things but in the end, it brought a kind of distant view of reality.

After she pulled the trunk of the tree to the designated place, Haku made her chop the wood up and burn it, though most of it went to the caravan's supply.

She was given a small respite as the wood burned.

In the break, Maruchi asked why he made her do that. What was the point? To test her strength and stamina?

"You need to experience things in order to do the best." Haku told Maruchi, as if that would explain everything.

The brunette felt her face contort into a deadpan. Golden eyes sending an accusatory "Are you kidding me?" look towards the old man.

Haku's dark eyes just stared at the girl, until he let out a long-suffering sigh. "To do Genjutsu," the man began, settling himself onto the ground beside Maruchi. "One must trick, not just the eyes but everything about the body."

"But," he put a finger up, giving her a hard look. "One must be able to experience many things in order to trick a mind. For one cannot half-ass a Genjutsu. To be true master, is to put your experiences on others."

Maruchi stared up at her Sensei. Dabbing the sweat from her brow, the female nodded. It made sense. One could not imagine the pain of breaking a leg, well not _truly_, until they themselves had broken it. Ranging in severity could mean other things as well. Whether or not it was more affective or not.

Taking a swig from the canteen the brunette witnessed the fires die down into smoldering embers.

Why did she feel like she wasn't realizing something.

"Sensei." The girl nudged the dozing male. Blinking an old eye open, Haku stared at the embers.

"Good their embers." He stated, not moving from his lax position. "Now go stand on them."

Maruchi blinked.

She hated herself.

So, _so_ much.

**Days alive 25**

Maruchi stared into electric blue eyes. "Huh?" she asked. Quite the intelligent response.

Sanshin smiled. "Yep, I was once a ninja." He confirmed, leaning on the table casually, feet crossed on the cushion bellow him.

The brunette felt something in her snap at this, her attention focused solely on the blonde, she felt her eyes light up in childish wonder.

"No way!" she grinned in a, well Sanshin would never admit, cute manner. "That's, that's—" eyes dilating sharply a million thoughts ran through her head.

Standing up abruptly from her seat on the ground she bowed, waist down. "Please! Teach me all you know!"

Sanshin stared at the young girl. The passionate hymns in her tone convinced the former ninja that maybe this brunette wasn't all air headed smiles and unnerving eyes.

"Ore, Ore, calm down their Maru-san!" he placated, raising both hands up in defense.

Looking up, at least the girl had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry…" she muttered as she sat back down.

Laughing boisterously Sanshin waved her apology off. "No need to apologies." He amended, taking a swig of water from his cup. "But why don't I just tell you a story first? Hmm, much more interesting that what Old man Haku could do."

Blinking owlishly Maruchi didn't say anything except nod her head. She didn't know how Sanshin would tell a story better than Haku without the use of Genjutsu.

But, staring at glimmering blue eyes and a kind smile.

Maruchi decided she didn't really care.

**Years alive 3; days in the wild 12**

It was nighttime in her mind. The gentle breeze swished the grass as she stared out at the city.

Its blinking lights dispersed the stars, but she didn't mind. There were people down there, people who were breathing just like her and did things just like her.

But unlike her,

They were alive.

_She could remember the suffocating silence, _

_Then the shouts, the yelling._

The field became unstable and there was a bright flash. She found herself collapsed on her bed, reading a textbook on biology.

"She's not natural 'm telling you! Not natural—" she'd plug herself in with music. Drowning out her mother's drug induced rants.

_She could still feel the cold hands wrap around her unresponsive body._

"_Why? Why won't you react like a normal child?"_

The girl would just sit there, scanning over useless information from the wiki. It often being about books—manga?—that she didn't feel the need to read.

_The scrape of nails on her arms._

"_Why? Why are you unnatural?"_

She wondered what it was like. To be able to read the imagined worlds of others, without fear of being lost completely in the folds of their reality.

She, wondered.

_Cold, cold always cold._

_Food, days, unresponsive. _

She, she wanted.

_Not feeling. Not there._

Needed…

_Alive, but not breathing._

Dead, yet living.

_**WHAT AM I?**_

"MARUCHI!"

Jolting awake, the girl slammed heads with the boy before her.

"Ow!" He yelped, flailing as he fell to the grassy floor.

Wincing at the pain that exploded on her forehead, Maruchi looked down at Gai. Who lay in an unceremonious heap, twitching ever so slightly.

She thought she knocked him unconscious, that is, until he jumped up from the ground fluidly, without using his arms. "Hup!" he grunted.

Maruchi blinked, rubbing the sore spot on her head she turned towards the male.

"Yes…?" her own voice sounded hoarse to her own ears.

Gai straightened as he brushed off the leaves and grass that got caught on his green jumpsuit. "We're required to out on patrol tonight." He stated, a serious glint catching in his dark eyes.

He had very pretty eyes. The girl could admit that to herself. They could look like fine ink, the kind that soaks onto a page, or like a dark night with a million stars in the sky.

Very pretty eyes indeed.

There was a snap of bandaged fingers in her face. "Hey, Maru-sama? Did you hear me?"

Maruchi found herself stareing into the eyes she just complemented. Smiling, slightly bashful, she nodded. "Yes, sorry Gai-kun I was just thinking."

Nodding in acceptance the boy gestured to the other side of the clearing, were the rest of the camp resided.

"We'll be packing up tomorrow." He stated. "Minato-san suggested we scout ahead as well, just to save time."

The brunette nodded. Minato-san was the head of this operation. Apparently, his team had started out as a force of fifty or so ninja, all camped out just in Kiri's borders. They were attacked, for obvious reasons, and Minato's mighty force was left at barely thirty or so ninja remaining.

What Maruchi did was a miracle for them. She saved them from a sound defeat. Sure, they could have won but it would've been with heavy loss and severe injury.

Maruchi was considered an ally in this situation, which she was glad for, still the remaining ninja were weary of her presence, even Minato and Kakashi.

At least she had Gai. He took her massacre of those hundred ninja as a sign that he should hold her in high regard. It had taken her five days to convince him to at _least_ call her Maru-sama. _So similar to her old nickname but different all the same._

Slipping out of her sleeping bag, the girl pulled a thick kimono over her head. Strapping her open toed sandals and kunai pouch on she turned towards Gai.

"Ready?" he asked, taking a bite of a ration bar and offering her one.

Nodding in confirmation, Maruchi accepted the bland food. "Ready."

They set off. Jumping from tree to tree with practiced grace.

Gai was going ahead at unnatural speed, even for ninja, still Maruchi could keep up.

Another reason the brunette had been placed as Gai's temporary partner was because she was one of the only people that could keep up with him, physically. Sure, Kakashi or even Minato could as well but neither really wanted to be in his presence for that long.

He was exuberant and funny, but also quite serious when the situation called for it. Kind of like her, except not.

Strange.

Either way they made their way deeper into the forest. Jumping from branch to branch they kept their eyes and ears open as they dashed around.

But the forest suddenly stopped.

Skidding to a stop on the sand, Maruchi felt some of the grains slip in between her toes.

The ocean breeze filled her nose and churned her stomach, the large expanse of dark water tricking her eyes to believe there was nothing past the pale shore.

Golden eyes found black, one holding a blank thoughtfulness and the other a dreading passion.

This is where the island ended, and their most treacherous part of their journey began.


	5. Chapter 5

**Years alive, 3; days in the wild 13**

* * *

Maruchi could guess why the air hung heavily with trepidation. To be exposed on the water for so long was basically asking for an ambush.

Though it would take a while for Kiri to realize that their whole squadron of seventy shinobi were dead, when they did, they'd be out for blood.

Strapping the last bag onto her shoulder, Maruchi approached the ninja in charge of this mission.

Making an audible step towards the blonde, the brunette tapped him on the shoulder.

"Minato-san."

Despite her obvious approach the male still jolted. She couldn't blame him really, to have this much pressure for the lives of so many.

But she was responsible too.

No matter the hard stares and untrustworthy glances she was going to see none of them perished on this mission.

"Yes Maruchi?" Minato replied tersely, shuffling the map back into a seal and turning his full attention towards her.

Rubbing a hand over her snake mask, the girl shuffled slightly, adjusting the heavy load on her back. So, what if it was heavy, Gai was carrying more.

"Do you want me to use a Genjutsu?"

Blue eyes blinked at the sudden question. Minato looked shocked, as if he wasn't expecting that she'd offer up her services.

Maruchi suppressed a snort, she was in too deep to not to give her all. No matter the looks, the scorn, she wanted Gai and Kakashi, heck even Minato to return safely, without any trouble.

If that meant putting her life on the line then so be it, though Karashi would be sad—no Maruchi was going to do this.

"Why?" Minato's sharp voice brought the girl back to the present.

Blinking, a soft smile spread across her face, though hidden by the mask, Maruchi knew the blonde could sense it.

"Why not?"

It was a teasing remark, said so elegantly and smoothly, that one would think it un-honest, fake even.

Minato could see the real emotion though, the desire to protect her new comrades, those that, though distrust her, gave her a place to stay and belong when she was wondering aimlessly.

For the first time in days the blonde smiled. It lit up his tired, narrow, eyes and sent a glow about his features.

"Ok, as long as it doesn't drain your chakra reserves too much."

Nodding, Maruchi bowed. "Of course, Minato-san."

Shaking his head, the blonde turned his attention to something else.

"We're heading out at dawn, they'll expect a mad dash at night, not when the light could reveal us."

"Hmm, ok I'll be ready by then."

"Good."

Just like that, the survival of thirty men and woman rested on an eleven-year-old shoulders.

She didn't mind.

She just wanted them safe.

_I just want to be safe…_

"_You can never be safe."_

_**I'm never safe.**_

_**WE'RE NEVER SAFE!**_

* * *

**Years alive, 1**

* * *

Maruchi could never forget this day. The day she found her first companions.

She was scrounging around the ruins of a town that had been demolished by a ninja fight.

Sanshin and a few other men of the caravan where there as well, looking for survivors and bodies.

Surrounded by the ruins of an old home, Maruchi believed this had been the lord or lady's house, if the tattered silks and carpet were anything to go by at least.

Reaching out a pale hand, the brunette unclasped the lid of the chest she found. It wouldn't budge. Brows furrowing the girl realized that the chest was sealed.

Maruchi was by no means a sealing master but she had read about Fuinjutsu.

Form what she gathered from her abysmal knowledge pool, there were layers to seals and the fundamental thing to activating it was with chakra.

Of course, Maruchi didn't want to activate the seal, she wanted to deactivate it. The seal looked pretty complex, with its inked lines and circuitry.

One would have to carefully unravel the seal, like a pair of tangled earphones… but that's only if they wanted to keep the seal intact to reuse again.

Maruchi just wanted the stupid thing open.

Normally pushing chakra into a seal would do little but strengthen it… still, that was only if they had normal chakra. The brunette resisted the urge to smirk, she could melt the circuit and release it, though if she overheated it, it could explode, not something she really wanted.

Pressing her palms onto the sealed lock, the girl summoned her chakra. It crawled out of her chest and up her arms, pricking just underneath her skin and emerging out of her hands.

It was coloured a pale orange, swirls of lilac at the edges.

Her hands ached as the chests heavy rim pressed into her palm.

Hefting it up, it gave a rusty groan and crackle as the seal fizzled and broke. The lid fell back and revealed hidden contents.

Scrolls, it had multiple scrolls.

Not just any scrolls.

Maruchi gripped the sides of the chest, her eyes wide in surprise.

Ninja scrolls.

Summoning ninja scrolls.

About thirty or so just stuffed into a chest, how the hell a Lord of a small village had managed to gather so many?

She didn't know, but…

Narrowing golden eyes, the girl swore she would find out.

* * *

**Years alive 3; days in the wild, 56**

* * *

She saw it, the ninja with solid fire wrapped around his kunai, heading straight for his uncovered back.

"**MINATO MOVE!"**

Maruchi didn't know who screamed that, all she felt was the white noise, the rawness of her throat, the smoke that clogged her senses.

So close, yet so far, so close to home, yet just at its borders.

She was so close to completing her promise, to doing right by herself, right by them. Gai had a father waiting for him, Kakashi had Minato to look after, and the blonde himself had a beautiful girlfriend who was eagerly awaiting his return.

She didn't know when she suddenly appeared behind the blonde, didn't feel when the projectile pierced her heart.

The world just went black for a second. Flashes of cold rooms and dinners. Everything so, _bitter_.

The way her body couldn't feel.

_Monster,_

She didn't need to breath.

_Snake child,_

How they all tried to make her feel.

_Lizard freak._

She felt nothing except a broken heart.

_**DEMON!**_

The squelch of her flesh reached her ears, burning flesh on the tip of her tounge. But she couldn't feel it, it was like she was a million miles away, from this situation, from this pain.

"MARUCHI!"

The hand that stabbed her tried to wrench out of her, considering her dead.

But she wasn't, she as very much alive.

Her ribs constricted around the offending appendage. Her spiritual energy swelled out of her skin, spilling down on the ninjas arm and melting his flesh off.

The screams barely felt like they were there, she barely felt like she was there. Her ribs expanded, sharpening to the point it tore the ninjas dissolving arm off.

She didn't know when her hands had kept the man in place, writhing in agony as her chakra spread up his arm to the rest of his body, for how dare he attack her friend, who had spent countless nights watching her back as they split up. Who had smiled at her so genuinely.

Who acted and looked so much like Sanshin and seemed to embody her father's spirit.

"Mon-monster…" the man gurgled as if hoping his last words would have an impact on her. They didn't, not at all.

Gripping the man's forearms tighter, Maruchi's blood began pumping again, her heart regenerating to full capacity.

"_**If I'm such a monster…"**_ Gold eyes slit, so disinterested yet full of hatred as they stared down into a horrified pair. _**"I wonder what that makes you?"**_

She then ripped him in half, body so mushy and rotten that it felt like tearing paper. It was oddly satisfying to the girl; she felt a grin threaten to take over her face.

Yes! This is what she wanted, for all those years of torment, she could finally take revenge, she knew things now, she could, she—she could, could…

Her knees buckled, chakra no longer pouring out of her skin and the pain of _dying_ and living all over again catching up to her.

Golden eyes dilated as they surveyed her gory hands, her blood-stained outfit.

"Maruchi?"

She caught a flash of blonde and blue, that was all she needed though.

_Otousan?_

Maruchi promptly blacked out.

* * *

Minato had no idea what happened. His little group of ten ninja were just making it past the last stretch, were almost to Konoha they could taste it on the breeze.

The Jonin had decided it best to split up into groups of ten or so, only communicating through codes sent by their summons.

That way they could be discreet while also packing power if required.

On the team that Minato was leading he had his apprentice and the new ally (Gai was placed on another team considering there couldn't be too many assets on one team), there were eight other shinobi in the team, each with different strengths.

Maruchi was her name, no last name and only holding identification papers of her father, who was a previous shinobi of Konoha.

He had been very weary of her presence. He saw the death she could cause, Minato still got shudders at the screams the fifty or so shinobi had emitted as they fell, she had done so without even lifting a finger.

Her battle prowess was exceptional as well, from what he could deduce, someone must have put her through hellish training (That on the level of the Maito's) to get that kind of speed and stamina.

Minato kept his distance and had reluctantly accepted the girl's company into the team, she was a non-hostile asset, one the blonde was planning on exploiting until her story proved real or not.

Still as she began fitting herself into the folds of their squadron, she had proven herself time and time again. The girl didn't mind when restriction for food and shelter were put on her. She didn't complain when they sent her out to scout at ungodly hours of the morning.

Heck! Maruchi even offered to use a wide scale Genjutsu for the duration of their run across the ocean.

She was definitely different, pure in her intentions and true to her word.

Maruchi had developed a sort of loyalty to Gai from the time spent together, she seemed also willing to extend that loyalty to Kakashi and even Minato himself.

He had found her weird, yet enduring in a way.

Still Minato would have been very happy with just leaving the brunette to her own devices.

But through time, his eventual weariness turned into a kind of fondness. It stemmed from long nights of watching the stars, to asking questions about one another.

He discovered that underneath that disinterested posture and cloudy gaze that Maruchi was quite passionate and ambitious. She had an aspiration to learn all she could in the world, soak and gain as much knowledge as she dared.

He liked her, she was different and not apathetic, like he had assumed before, (just because Maruchi didn't show a reaction towards all the death she committed didn't mean she felt nothing for it) she actually held a nindo quite like his own.

Protect our precious people to our last breath.

And protect she did.

Minato couldn't turn around quick enough. He couldn't face four shinobi at his front and one from behind. The Kirinin came when he was taking a breather from killing the four from before, clearly wanting vengeance on his prone form.

He was unprepared and while he never wanted to die, he would have preferred it to seeing Maruchi be impaled.

The smooth crunch of ribs being crushed was a familiar sight, he just wasn't familiar with it being between Maruchi's own chest.

Her heart was completely shredded.

Minato had cried out her name. It was unprofessional but the blonde didn't care. Maruchi was a child, no matter the situation, and he felt obligated to protect her over himself.

She apparently felt the same way.

The blonde was seeing red creep into the corners of his vision, he was prepared to slaughter the man that killed his comrade with a type of vengeance he wasn't proud of.

That is until the girl had risen from the dead. He felt the potent spike of her chakra, but he didn't just feel it, he _saw_ it manifest out of her pours, out of her blood.

With an arm in her chest, she was _alive_.

And she just ripped apart that shinobi with her bare hands, like paper.

Maruchi's back was facing him, then her knees buckled, her kimono getting stained even further in blood.

Reaching out a hesitant hand towards the brunette, he called out. "Maruchi?"

Twisting, Minato caught the sight of two golden eyes, before she promptly blacked out.

After that the blonde wasted no time in heading over the Konoha border, a brunette clutched in his arms.

Kakashi had remained by his Sensei's side through the duration of the run, the rest following behind in confused, yet horrified awe.

Maruchi shouldn't be breathing, and yet.

Glancing down he saw the pale unmarred flesh of her chest, the blood staining her cloths and a slight singe, the only thing that showed she had been impaled.

Grip tightening, Minato looked ahead.

He was an idiot.

Because he felt so responsible for her.

That he really did care because she wore her heart, no matter how absent and fluffy, on her sleeve.

Knuckles turning white, the blonde ground his teeth.

Such an idiot.

* * *

**Years alive 3; Days on Konoha outskirts, 1**

* * *

Everything hurt the moment she opened her eyes. Not the physical kind of pain, but the pain brought from a few to many late nights and a serious hang over (Not that she ever had one, the long nights though…).

Her head ached and her eyes watered as she blinked them open.

Where was she?

Flashes of memory. The screams, the rawness of her throat, the desire to protect, an arm through her chest—

Halting those thoughts, Maruchi's hands instantly went over her heart. Her intact, _beating,_ heart.

Gasping the girl flung herself up and off the white bed she was situated in. Her knees buckling as she placed two feet on the ground, leaning heavily on the wall.

What? How?

She didn't know what was going on. She had _died_. She knew no one could survive a blow like that, but then again, she had been conscious while her heart was destroyed.

How was she even alive?

Images of rubbery flesh, so mushy in her hands, bones so brittle like sticks, how she had ripped open a man while he was _alive—_

Bile rose up her throat. She gagged reflexively, the bitter taste in her mouth making her eyes sting.

She wanted to hurl, it was so disgusting, so vile, she had done that?

Maruchi wasn't a psychopath, she didn't like killing people, she only did so to protect her friends (A horrid necessity in this world). That massacre was the largest group she had ever killed and even then, it had been without any _real_ pain.

But… Two horrified eyes, the unnatural anger (hate), the _pleasure _she felt when she had, had—

Maruchi vomited, it was nothing but saliva and bile that spilled onto the white floor where she collapsed. For the next few minutes, the girl dry heaved, on the ground, until her gut ached.

"Maru-sama? Your awake that's—"

The boyish voice cut off with a startled yell. "Maruchi-sama!"

The clatter of footsteps did nothing to stop the girls shuddering, her panicked breaths, choked heaves.

Warm arms picked up Maruchi with surprising ease. The change in height made her head feel dizzy, her stomach lurched, and she turned her head away from her helper to vomit more bile, it dripped down her chin staining her simple white dress.

Placed gently onto the bed, the girl curled into herself, breathing erratically.

Palms rubbed her back gently, a smooth voice whispering comforting words. The hands moved to cup her face, wiping her chin of saliva.

Eventually her breathing evened out, heaves becoming nothing more that painful twitches in her gut.

Still shuddering, Maruchi reached an arm out in a silent offer, eyes still closed tightly.

There was no hesitance in his comfort and Gai dutifully grabbed her hand, squeezing her pale skin with rough bandaged fingers.

"…thank you…" it was barely whispered but the boy heard any way.

There was a pause before the grip on her hand tightened. "Any time."

Maruchi couldn't help but smile at her friends' sincere tone. She had missed him in the two weeks they were separated.

Peeling open a golden eye she looked up into two inky black ones. "Mind getting Minato-san?"

Gai expression faltered. "Ah… Minato-san is currently busy; I was sent to keep an eye on you. Sorry Maru-sama, you'll just have to survive my company until then,"

Sighing, the girl snuggled into her sheets. "Oh, how difficult… I can barely stand more than ten seconds of your company…"

She murmured, smirking slightly at Gai's protestant huff.

Maruchi's grip weakened slightly in the boy's hand as she fell into a light doze.

There was a long sigh before the girl felt fingers brush her wavy bang from her face.

Humming under her breath she leaned into the warm fingers.

"Get some sleep Maruchi, I'll be here when you wake up."

Maruchi was inclined to believe him.

But she was startled.

That was the first time Gai said her name, one _without_ the honorific.

It was nice, made him feel more like a friend.

_My first friend away from home._

Gai would like that title.

Maruchi knew she did.


	6. Chapter 6

?

Sometimes she would dream.

Dream of a world full of large glass towers and metal carriages.

Those dreams felt warm, she felt warm but cold all the same.

Not in the physical sense that affected her.

Still, the girl relished the dreams she had.

Because they were hers and she had nothing.

Nothing but a wish.

A wish to be alive.

* * *

**Years alive 3; Days on Konoha Outskirts, 14**

* * *

Maruchi found it very unfair. The fact that Kakashi and Gai could go back to their village three days after coming home from the horrors of war but Minato had to stay.

It was unfair and wrong. The girl had heard it whispered, that the blonde was to be the next Hokage, but just because he was destined for greatness didn't mean he didn't have human limitations.

Maruchi had decided to stay with Minato, to watch his back and make sure he returned to the village safely.

Minato had been quite adamant that she goes to the village but Maruchi wasn't having any of it, she was staying no matter what and that was final.

The man had finally relented and let the brunette stay, though not without strict instructions to stay near him at all times. She didn't mind, that just made her job easier.

What wasn't easy was trying to figure out what the hell happened to her. How was she still alive?

Minato consulted a few nurses, trying to gauge how unnatural it was for Maruchi to do what she did. Apparently, there were theories surrounding re-growing limbs from chakra, because the spiritual energy can outlive the physical and therefore should be able to affect it to keep oneself or another person alive.

They're just theories though, for all the nurses knew.

Minato decided it best to keep Maruchi's experience between themselves.

Maruchi didn't care honestly, she just wanted to keep Minato alive.

And she'd be damned if anyone tried to stop her.

Currently, though the girl spent her time trailing after the blonde. Picking up things after him and becoming a faithful shadow.

Most days Maruchi wore her snake mask, it helped her conceal her emotions and make her anonymous. Many underestimated her, thought of her as a simple child, the next Hokage having a shadow? Preposterous!

No one tried to stop her though.

Picking up the last of the pile, Maruchi straightened them out before placing them back on the desk. Her golden eyes slid over to the tall blonde, who was currently talking with an ANBU captain stationed at this outpost.

Catching Minato's eyes, the blonde made a subtle gesture to his maps he kept in the corner of this office.

The girl didn't say anything as she went and grabbed the hefty scrolls and their ink sets.

Placing them down on the strategic table, she unravelled them, revealing a worn map of Konoha and its borders.

Maruchi took a moment to admire the painted paper, though frayed at the edges, was still beautiful.

Finishing up she bowed to the two approaching males before leaving the room and letting them discuss their matters privately.

For the next three hours, the girl just waited outside the room. It would do no good to wander off, she already knew the base layout, it was a requirement for staying, and Maruchi didn't feel boredom she just wasn't the type to get impatient. Well, that was only for a few things.

When the door opened and a tired Minato walked out, the ANBU probably took the window, Maruchi was there, a cup of coffee in her right hand and an apple in the other. Where she got those in three seconds no one knows.

Smiling tiredly the blonde accepted it. "Thanks." He mumbled.

"So, anything happening?" Maruchi asked as the two made their way out of the small building. The encampment was busy, many shinobi bustling around. Maruchi even saw a few Genin running around, huffing and puffing at the massive amounts of scrolls they carried.

Speaking of scrolls.

Minato simply waved said item in front of his young companion's face.

Snatching it from his hands, Maruchi opened the parchment. Her golden eyes scanned the contents, a frown pulling her face under her mask.

"A frontal assault on a recently established Kiri base? Is that wise?" she asked, rolling the paper up and passing it back to the tired blonde.

Minato sighed; he didn't know how he could answer her. "ANBU-san insisted that it was better for us to attack first near home turf. Besides," he took a sip of coffee, hoping the caffeine would help sharpen his mind. "Kiri is looking for blood."

Snorting slightly, the girl let her sharp tongue respond with a scathing. "When are they not?"

Scuffing Maruchi on the back of her head, the blonde ignored her hiss of pain as he bit into his apple.

"C'mon." he beckoned with his mouth half full. Swallowing the piece of fruit, Minato made his way into his resting tent.

"Let's get ready to head out, the debrief will happen in a few hours."

Maruchi let out a hum as she followed her friend.

This was going to be exhausting.

* * *

**Years alive 3; Days in the wild, 34**

* * *

"What's your favourite colour?" she asked, curled in on herself as she and her companion stared out at the stars.

They were on guard duty, and she was bored, but she also had a distinct feeling that this is what was considered an awkward situation.

The blonde man blinked as if startled by the sudden question.

"Uh," he fumbled for a second. "Uh, its" a cough, "…red."

"Mines orange!" she chirped. Her mask wasn't on, so Minato could see how her expression lightened.

"Favorite food?" She asked again.

Minato quirked a brow. "Ramen."

Closing golden eyes, Maruchi hummed, as if tasting the food on her tongue. "I'd love to try ramen again." Opening her lids, the girl looked up at Minato. "My favourite food is Gyuudon."

They continued through their shift, with interesting questions and light jabs.

Maruchi enjoyed the night, so did Minato, and both felt a subtle shift in their relationship.

Little did both know they'd be connected by the hip soon enough.

* * *

**Years alive, 1**

* * *

Ok, Maruchi you can do this.

Still, the girl felt her palms become slightly sweaty.

Why was she nervous?

It's not like she was going to summon mystical creatures from another plane of existence.

Yeah, not like that at all.

She hesitated, scroll weighing heavily in her hands.

She was so small, too small.

Sighing, Maruchi decided she would try later.

Maybe tomorrow, or next week.

She didn't know.

* * *

**Years alive 3; Days on Konoha Outskirts, 17**

* * *

Strapping the kunai holster to her thigh, Maruchi shrugged on the thick green vest that was the standard uniform, her mask already in place.

Well, she thought it was the standard uniform, the strange looks she kept getting when she walked past fellow shinobi made her think otherwise.

Entering the tent, she and Minato shared, Maruchi kept quietly musing to herself.

It didn't really matter she supposed, but it was slightly irritating receiving so many double-takes.

The meeting had taken place a few days prior and teams had been selected and briefed not even a day later.

Now after a full day's preparation, the whole camp was ready for the battle surely to come.

There was a tangible energy in the air. It was fluttering and taunt, nervous.

Many young shinobi were fidgeting with their sleeves and weapons, while the elder ones steeled their nerves and prepared for battle.

Maruchi herself didn't really feel anything, but maybe that was because she hadn't slept since three days prior.

Shrugging the girl decided that it was probably best to get a nap in before the inevitable conflict.

But she'd have to do it on the mission.

Or… she could just ignore her bodily needs, yes that seemed like a splendid idea that would have no repercussions whatsoever!

Besides Minato had been awake just as long and he wasn't looking to bad.

Taking a glance at the blonde beside her, that was drinking his seventh cup of coffee, eye twitching and hair slightly dishevelled; Maruchi revaluated her claim.

"Aa, why do both of you look like you're about to pass out?" a dull voice asked.

Minato practically leapt ten feet in the air, blue orbs wide and coffee spilling on his vest.

Turning her head, Maruchi stared at the boy that snuck up on them. "Oh," she stated distantly. "I forgot to inform you Mina-san." Pointing a pale finger at the silver-haired male, she continued. "Kakashi's here."

Minato, now wiping at his vest with a rag, felt himself sweatdrop. "Yeah," he said, unfocused eyes trying to narrow onto his apprentice. "I can see that."

Kakashi sighed, mask still covering half of his face and eyes as bored as ever.

"Again, why do you guys look like your going to fall any second?"

Maruchi smiled, something that was practically visible through her mask. "I forgot."

Blanching slightly, Kakashi looked at the older girl again. "You… forgot?"

The brunette nodded her head rapidly, ignoring the dizzy spell she felt from it.

Grey eyes narrowed onto a sheepish blond form. "Your excuse?"

Minato laughed nervously, hands up in a placating gesture. "Aha, no need to be so hostile Kakashi. I was… busy?"

"You mean overworking yourself." Kakashi deadpanned.

"No—nothing of the sort I was—um I was—"

Maruchi took that moment to intervene. Something Minato was grateful for until the girl opened her mouth.

"Well Mina-san Kakashi is right in the terms of overworking yourself, I haven't seen you take a wink of sleep for the past few days, always got your nose stuck in a scroll, planning out things and mumbling to yourself." Pausing the girl rubbed the back of her head, a sheepish chuckle escaping her masked lips. "Actually, now that I think about it, it's because of your constant awareness that I felt the need to keep an eye on you, sleep just seemed to slip my mind."

Minato wilted at her words, sending a withering glare at his apprentice smug look.

Wiping the expression off his face, Kakashi did some calculations in his head.

"Well we've got around seven hours until sunset, it's the best time to get some sleep, don't worry I'll wake you guys up when its time to head out."

Minato was hesitant. "But I've got to go over the plans a few more times, just to make sure—"

Kakashi waved a hand, cutting off his sensei's words. "Knowing you, you'll just nitpick. And from what Maruchi's said you've already done plenty of that."

"But—ah…"

A hazy giggle brought both males attention to a stable looking girl.

"Aa, I don't know about you Mina-san, but I feel," a muted yawn, "Pretty ready for… sleep…"

Maruchi's legs gave out, and she fell, face-first into the ground.

Minato let out a panicked squeak, already kneeling down beside the fallen girl. "Maruchi! Are you," a loud yawn, eyes blinking hard, "Are you… you ok…?"

Maruchi chuckled as she was turned around on her back sloppily, fingers caressing the thick carpet beneath her.

"Aha, come join me Minato-nii… the grounds _suuuper soooft_." She whispered as she became dazed, eyes dropping and darkness creeping into her vision.

Blue eyes grew heavy at the exhaustion presented before him. Palms pressing against the carpet, the blond let out a hum. "Yeah, it is. Maybe… I should join…"

Before he even finished his sentence, Minato was laying down on the ground with a silent huff.

"Aa, so comfy." He mumbled, eyes slipping close and joining Maruchi in the comforts of darkness.

Kakashi just stared down at the two idiots on the ground.

Sighing, he grabbed a blanket before placing it over the sleeping duo.

Before he could go anywhere else, a pale hand shot out and yanked him by the ankle.

The boy couldn't even blink in surprise when he was pulled into the middle of two dozing forms.

"Uh, wha—"

"Shhsshshh… go to sleep…" Maruchi mumbled through her crooked mask, before shoving her face into gravity-defying hair.

A large pair of arms wrapped around two smaller forms.

Kakashi was stupefied. Here he was, in between his sensei and surrogate sister.

When Maruchi became that to him he would never know.

Sighing, the boy decided he would just rest and let his internal clock wake him up.

_Besides_, he thought to himself privately as he snuggled into the embrace provided by two of his important people. _It's really, really warm._

That thought was enough to bring a content smile to his face.

No matter how small.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**Hi! I, uh, don't know what to put in this thing but I'd like to give some information out.**

**I'm planning on updating every Thursday. If I don't manage too than likely assume I'm busy with school or personal matters or I've not fully completed the chapter.**

**I won't do these things (Authors notes) often, so when I do it'll have important information on it.**

**Also, I just want to apologise if I've butchered characters! I'm not used to writing about the Naruto world, so some people may be a bit shallow as characters right now. I hope I'll improve as the story goes on.**

**Anyway, thank you for reading this (if you have) and have a blessed day!**

**OwO**


	7. Chapter 7

**Years alive, 3; Days on Konoha's outskirts, 4**

* * *

Maruchi had her first kill when she was nine.

Not much can be remembered from that day, but she knew the horrible anger she felt, the vicious glee that sprung into her veins as she tore through the bandits that attacked her caravan.

It was much more subtle than what she had done recently, more like a gleeful tingle in the bottom of her spine, something that didn't concern her much, and Maruchi had brushed off the feeling as simple adrenalin.

She was foolish.

Maruchi knew that something had changed when she had died again in this world, sort of a reawakening. There was a presence at the back of her head, one that kept whispering bitter, _evil_, things to her in the night.

Things that were driven away by the constant presence of Gai. When the boy left though, it was fair game for whatever was in her head.

_We could kill them all and they wouldn't even know…_ The thought whispered suggestively in her head.

"And why would I do that when I'm trying to get into their Village," Maruchi replied calmly, eyes focused on the book Minato gave her to pass time.

_But why not? They mistrusted us in the beginning when we killed all of those enemy ninjas. The only one that is of any worth is the green one._

Sighing, Maruchi slipped her book closed, before hopping out of bed and walking towards the bathroom tucked away in the corner.

Leaning on the rim of the sink the girl stared at her reflection.

Locking golden eyes of a replica Maruchi spoke. "I have a dream." She began, hands gripping the basin tighter. "One that I will complete with or without your presence."

There was an echoing snarl in her head, one that reverberated in her skull. _You can't live without me. I am you. The dark little thoughts that will haunt you for the rest of your life!_

That silenced Maruchi a contemplative frown marring her normally smooth features.

Without replying the girl splashed some water on her face and went back to the bed.

Pulling out the book she continued to read, ignoring the presence in her mind.

She'd dealt with things like this before in the _before_, she was sure she could deal with it now.

Hopefully.

* * *

**Years alive, 1**

* * *

"What's this I hear from Hani?" a curious voice broke Maruchi from her calligraphy lesson.

Peering up at the man through her lashes, Maruchi gave the man a bemused expression. "Pardon?"

Sanshin sighed tiredly, before plopping himself down on the ground beside the girl.

"The fact that you've been staring at that contract scroll for the past few weeks and haven't done anything with it?"

Maruchi ducked her head in shame for being found out.

Sanshin chuffed the girl on the back of the head gently. "C'mon what's wrong? You're normally all for trying new things."

She didn't reply, for she didn't know exactly why either.

At first, she simply thought she was nervous about the thought of summoning mythical creatures from another world.

Then she thought that maybe it was because she was too young for such responsibility.

But no… it was something much simpler, yet harder all the same.

In her mind, it just wasn't possible.

Yes, that was the reason.

Summoning something from another world just didn't make sense to her and Maruchi was worried about the repercussions on her mind if she saw something that could not be fully explained.

It would ruin her reality, her own set of rules that she placed in this world and in the Before.

Chakra could be explained as a living energy that humans had access to in this world.

But summoning was a whole other pool of impossible that the girl didn't want to get into.

A hand patting the top of her head brought Maruchi out of her stupor.

Blinking two disturbing golden eyes up at her father she gave him a small smile.

Sanshin sighed before ruffling her dark locks. "C'mon," he beckoned, standing up and making his way to the tent entrance. "I'll help you out with this."

Maruchi sat there stupidly for what seemed like an eternity before a grin formed on her ashen face.

Bouncing up she quickly skipped behind her father, not before she snagged the contract though.

Intertwining her small fingers around a few of Sanshin's own Maruchi let out an excited hum.

No matter the consequences to her mental state, she felt something she had thought she would never even feel in either of her lives.

Security.

Because no matter what happened to her she had someone to look out for her.

And that was enough for Maruchi.

* * *

**Years alive 3; days on the outskirts of Konoha, 20**

* * *

Smoke billowed into the sky, stinging the back of Maruchi's throat.

Coughing harshly the girl twisted around the enemy Ninja's tanto, making sure to fling a few shurikens in their direction.

Jerking to the side the Kirinin snarled before coming at the girl again with a forward thrust of their blade.

Hissing slightly at the new cut Maruchi gained from the enemy, she decided to end this fight and regroup with the medic-nin on the other side of the field.

As the Kirinin came at her again in a downward slash, Maruchi moulded her chakra without hand seals and slammed it into the ninja's brain, dodging the attack simultaneously.

It was a simple Genjutsu but devastating in the heat of battle, which is why Maruchi practised tirelessly to accomplish it without hand seals.

It switched the victims view with right and left.

So, with a heavy frown, Maruchi encased her kunai with wind and slashed at the exposed left side of the Kiri-nin.

They tried to block the attack but found themselves deflecting the right side of their body instead of their left.

Maruchi's kunai sliced cleanly through the ribs of the ninja and right into their heart.

They died before they even hit the ground.

Without wasting a breath, the girl shunshined to the medical tent, where she promptly fell face-first into the ground, chakra exhaustion and her wounds catching up with her.

Maruchi guessed fighting for seven consecutive hours in a child body was not very smart.

She'd have to be careful in the future.

With that last thought, the girl passed out with the soothing feeling of foreign chakra mingling with her own.

* * *

**Years alive 3**

* * *

Blood.

There was so much blood.

Maruchi gagged, her hands shakily pressing against Sanshin's side.

She desperately tried to ignore the mangled body of her mother, who was nothing, but a blob of flesh and blood-smeared against a tree,

"O-Otousan…?" the girl whispered as she stared up at her fathers once healthy coloured face, now marred with cuts, bruises and ghostly white.

Still despite everything the man smiled.

"Maru—" a spluttering cough, "—chi… yo-you need to go and…" a ragged breath. "Help the other…others…"

Maruchi didn't reply, she just applied more pressure to the oozing wound.

"N-no, I won't, I won't leave you." She argued distantly, her mind completely blank yet running at a hundred miles a minute.

A calloused hand pressed against her head, and Maruchi closed her eyes, savouring the affection she took for granted.

"Maruchi, look at me…please…"

Not able to resist his plea, two golden eyes locked onto an electric blue.

Smiling, one last time, the man (wasted) used his last breath to tell his (selfish) wonderful daughter the words she desperately wanted (needed) hear.

"Stay strong, for your… mother and I…We love you." Sanshin grinned, blood oozing out of the corner of his mouth before he let out his last breath—and—and—

_Died._

Maruchi sat there like an idiot, not moving, ignoring the screams of her caravan as they were attacked by bandits.

When the first tear trailed down her cheek did something deep in the girl snap.

Like a haze had been lifted off her mind, everything slotted together _painfully_.

Staring into two dead blue eyes.

Maruchi screamed.

And, right then and there, nothing mattered anymore.

With a vengeful twist of her lips, the girl spun around and ran to the area she sensed the foreign chakra systems.

A wet coppery tang hit the back of her mouth and Maruchi felt a snarl build up in her throat.

So, with bloody hands and a broken heart, the girl jumped down into the fray and killed every single one of those heartless bastards.

When she was done, just standing there on top of a pile of corpses, Maruchi felt, nothing…

Her eyes were dry, and her heart was twisted in knots.

Looking up into the starry sky, Maruchi, despite everything, _smiled._

Because she made a promise, to be strong, and no matter what she felt or thought, she was not going to fall prey to the emptiness in her heart nor the sorrow.

She wasn't—she wasn't going to…

If anyone saw the tears stream down her face in the orange flames, no one said anything.

It someone heard the muffled scream she howled into the night; they didn't comment.

Because through it all Maruchi kept that cursed smile on her face.

Maybe one day she'd feel like it belonged there.

* * *

?

* * *

She remembers little of her real mother.

She knows the one that calls herself her mother isn't her real one.

Because that woman makes sure to tell her every chance, she gets that she was abandoned by the whore.

She doesn't listen. For what she can recall of her mother she holds onto it with a selfish heart.

Because those memories are sad and melancholy, yet they hold such a deep-rooted joy in the fact that she is _alive._

Imagine that, someone is happy that she is alive.

The knife that carved into her skin stained the nice dress, she had chosen to go out with today, with dark clotting blood.

She didn't cry or react, but she felt a bit vindictive at the butcher.

With a heavy heart, the man told the woman behind her that she could come back later when he had gotten his knew cleaver.

"We can try and cut one of its fingers off and see if it reacts."

The woman nodded and with a strained smile, pulled the small child by her hand out of the shop.

There was no conversation between the two, but she felt the underlying tension as clear as day.

With a small sigh, the girl resigned herself to the fact her nice dress wouldn't be so nice anymore when she got home.

But she would survive, then she would personally kill every single person in this village.

She swore in the deep recesses of her heart.

And that thought was enough to bring a twisted smile to her face.


End file.
